Former state Sen. Brian Kelsey is getting a three-month reprieve from reporting to federal prison while he appeals his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, Tennessee Lookout reports. Kelsey pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance fraud charges then sought to change his plea. A federal district court judge and a three-judge panel of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals denied that effort. When his motion to have the matter reheard by the entire appellate court was rejected, he was ordered to report to federal prison by Oct. 1. Now the original three-judge panel has granted him 90 days to appeal the decision to the nation's highest court. Kelsey pleaded guilty in November 2022 to funneling more than $100,000 from his state campaign account through two political action committees to bolster his bid for a congressional seat.

Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Felicia Corbin-Johnson has ruled against a motion for default judgment in the case of Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert. In finding against special counsel Robert Meyers, Corbin-Johnson said Halbert deserves a full hearing on an ouster complaint. She also used the opportunity to urge the state legislature to revise the more than 100-year-old ouster statute to make the process more clear. Meyers had sought to declare Halbert in “default” and immediately remove her from office based on the argument that her attorneys had not responded directly to the complaint. That hearing was held earlier this week. Read about the parties’ arguments from the Daily Memphian.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is urging Rutherford County school officials not to remove "Beloved" and six other books from campus libraries, arguing that books may not be removed simply because they tell stories about race or racism or include references to sex and the human body. The Daily News Journal reports that the school board is set to meet tonight. In addition to “Beloved,” the other books to be considered are "Homegoing," "Queen of Shadows," "Skin and Bones," "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," "Tower of Dawn" and "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West." The ACLU also urged the board to bring back 30 books it previously removed from school libraries for being “obscene.”

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan Taylor Fondren has been named acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee following this week’s resignation of Kevin G. Ritz. Fondren earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and has served with the U.S. Department of Justice her entire career, first with the Drug Enforcement Administration and then with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. In 2014, she returned to her hometown of Memphis to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an assistant U.S. attorney. She has served in both the criminal and civil divisions, heading the Civil Rights Unit and leading the Financial Litigation and Bankruptcy divisions. In October 2022, she was named first assistant. Read more about her career in a press release from the office.

The TBA website, member database and discussion forums will be unavailable this Saturday night beginning at 9 p.m. CDT for required maintenance. The site is expected to be operational by 3 a.m., but no later than 6 a.m., CDT on Sunday. Any messages sent to TBA Talk or Section Talk forums will be queued and sent once the maintenance work is done. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

About 40 law students from Belmont University College of Law met with leaders of the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) today. YLD Board members Ginny Blake, Grace Benitone Burnett, Billy Leslie, Alix Rogers and Ross Smith participated in a lively panel to discuss the many benefits of getting involved with the TBA. Membership, which is free to law students, provides access to continuing legal education, opportunities to network and savings on school supplies and insurance. The lawyers encouraged students to volunteer at clinics to help others, attend CLEs to increase their professional knowledge, and apply for the 2025 Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI), a six-month leadership and mentoring program. See photos from the event.

A recent revision to Tennessee's school library law, passed in 2023, has led to the removal of more than 1,100 books across the state, according to a survey by the Tennessee Association of School Librarians. The Tennessee Lookout reports that the law requires periodic reviews of catalogs to ensure materials are appropriate for the ages and maturity levels of the students who can access them. It also broadened the definition of what school library materials are prohibited. Kathy Sinback, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee, suggests that the law is vulnerable to a legal challenge, alleging it is vague and applied unevenly across the state. While some school districts have removed books proactively, others are using a more deliberate review process. Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, a sponsor of the law said its intent is "simply to ensure public schools do not give children access to materials that are not appropriate for their ages.”

The Hamilton County Jail has launched a new electrical vocational program in partnership with Chattanooga State Community College, aiming to reduce recidivism by providing inmates with job training. Participants in the eight-week program will receive instruction mirroring Chattanooga State's courses and earn college credit applicable towards vocational programs, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp said funding for reentry programs comes from opioid abatement dollars. Organizers believe the initiative can offer inmates a pathway to employment outside the criminal justice system.

Kimberly Lund was sworn in as chancellor of the newly created 19th Judicial District Chancery Court, which covers Montgomery and Robertson counties, last week. She will share the workload of the court, which covers Montgomery and Robertson counties, with Chancellor Ben Dean. Appointed by Gov. Bill Lee, Lund previously served as an assistant district attorney in the district for nearly two decades. Lund earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky and her law degree from Michigan State University. Smokey Barn News has more on the story.

U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz announced his resignation today, effective immediately. Ritz, who has served as the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee since 2022, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate this week to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In announcing his resignation, Ritz said, "It has been such a tremendous honor to serve our country in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for 19 years — and to lead the office for the last two years. I’m especially lucky to have served as an Assistant United States Attorney and as United States Attorney in my hometown of Memphis. I am immensely proud to say that the United States is the only client I have ever had.” Read more in a press release from the office.